The B.C. Coroners Service on Thursday identified Jasper Houben as the hiker found dead off a North Vancouver trail earlier this week.

His colleagues were shocked by the death of the 22-year-old German international student who was found Wednesday. He was last seen on alive on June 23.

"Honestly, everyone thought and hoped we would find him alive and well," said Jenny Sagan, Houben's manager at Support Services Unlimited, the downtown association management firm he interned for over the past month.

"It's a tragic shame that someone so young with so much going for them gets it taken away."

Described as "very diligent, well brought up, and professional," the accounting and business intern was said to have a positive, cheerful disposition during his stay at the company.

Prior to going missing, Sagan added Houben was in a particularly positive mood because of the high marks he had recently received in his language test at the International Language Academy of Canada.

He was also elated by Germany's quarterfinal victory over Greece at the Euro Cup, and had booked flights and accommodations to explore Edmonton and Calgary with his family in July.

Houben had also been accepted to intern next year at Ernst and Young in Cologne.

His father, Vincent, and his aunt, Matilda Houben, have flown to Vancouver. A private memorial service will be held Friday.